TURA: Independent candidate for the South Tura by-poll John Leslee K Sangma has denied allegations of funds misappropriation levelled against him by former ANVC-B chairman Bernard Rimpu N Marak.
The former legislator has clarified that he never proposed projects under the Special urban Works Programme during his tenure as MLA and warned Marak of legal action for his ‘defamatory’ remarks.
The former militant chief had alleged that Sangma had encouraged his close aides to profit from government schemes. Quoting from RTI documents, Marak had charged Sangma of awarding a sizeable number of projects to just a handful of his close aides and work for which is still incomplete. He also mentioned about community halls in several localities which were not constructed despite being sanctioned.
“I never proposed any projects under SUWP in any of the years rather it was me who started the process of creating awareness to the public about how much MLA schemes are sanctioned and how it is utilised. Local committees have always been invited to check my proposals and are made aware of the funds sanctioned for their locality,” said Sangma. The former legislator said for CGI sheets distribution, the beneficiaries are selected by development committees and the material released only after signing of documents. He denied that funds kept aside for victims of natural calamities had gone unutilised and cited the disbursement of the same for the victims of the Dakopgre market fire incident during a public gathering outside a church compound.
“The remaining fund was utilised for victims of landslides in different localities and this can be verified by producing records and the beneficiaries along with their development committees. I always take pictures and a receipt of every material I release and maintain two records, one of which is submitted to the Tura Municipal Board,” said Sangma and added that the same exercise was followed during distribution of chairs in localities and in holding sports tournaments. On the allegations about his close aides bagging a majority of schemes, the former MLA clarified that projects are sanctioned in individual’s name solely with the knowledge of the local committee.
He said that such allegations were an attempt to distract him from his political fight against the chief minister who, the former MLA said, stirred a hornet’s nest with his remarks about the reservation policy in the state and work permit to Bangladeshis.
